Tube closure



1935. D. P. LOOMIS TUBE CLOSURE Filed Dec. 11, 1954 I DE/VETE/US PLcom/5.

lllllllmll Patented Dot. 8, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention refers to collapsible tubes and more particularly to aclosure for the same. It has among its objects, to provide a closure forcollapsible tubes that will eliminate the usual 5 screw top type and itslack of permanent attachment; to provide an arrangement in the devicethat will enable it to be easily operated for closing and opening; toprovide for a sanitary and effective method of closing; to provide 10with arrangements preventing rolling or upset-'- ting of the tube in anundesirable manner; that will tend to close if laid in a position thatmay cause leakage; and other objects that will become apparent as theinvention is more fully set forth.

While collapsible tubes have been heretofore provided with closuresother than those of the screw cap type, such are usually loose and arehard to handle. In this device the closure may be conveniently operatedwith the same hand that holds the tube. It opens and closes quickly andfully. It consists of an arrangement that is held in place with a springthat holds the closure tight, but not so much as to prevent it beingeas- 25 ily pushed over to either side, and when opening, to lift awayfrom the orifice of the tube so the paste or fluid in it will not bescraped or pushed over the side wall of the tube and make it unsightlyand unsanitary.

30 In the drawing, which shows a modification of this invention:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a collapsible tube with a closureembodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along line a 35 2-2 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is' a detail of the closure .with parts broken away to indicatethe interior construction and position of the spring.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the device with its cap formed directlyon the tube body.

Figure 5 shows the closure in modified construction, in perspective.

Figure 6 indicates the closure indicated in Figure 5, in another step ofthe opening.

45 Figure 7 is a detail of a modified form of spring to be used in theclosures.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout thedrawing.

In the drawing 1 represents a conventional 50 collapsible tube forcontaining tooth paste, shaving cream, lubricants, paints, printers ink,paste, mucilage and many other substances of a viscous nature. It has aclosure having a neck body 2' which has the usual orifice at 3 in araised mouth 55 portion 4. Pins 5 are provided in the side of the neckand are engaged by the sides of a slot 6 of the closure cap in arms Iplaced on two sides of the neck. The arms are preferably fiat andconnect with a flattened top 8 that fits over the mouth and orifice whenproperly positioned, the 5 underside 9 being provided with a suitablerecess portion and liner l4 that will fit over the mouth and close itsecurely.

Spring I0 is securely held to the cap by having its upper end hook llcaught in a suitable hole 10 or depression I2, while the end hooks l3engage on the pins 5, thus keeping the closure cap under tension. Theslots 6 are elongated to give the cap a suitable travel. The location ofthe pins permits the cap in its rotation from closed to open position,to pass over and away from the raised mouth portion 4 and to travel inthe elongated slots 6 as indicated in Figures 5 and 6. The use of themodulated spring l0 keeps the cap under tension permitting this actioneffectively. The spring also serves to snap the cap down quickly to itstwo positions of open and closed, when released and keep it fromassuming intermediate positions. This prevents the paste from the tubebeing splashed around.

The operation is performed by the person holding the tube in his hand,pushing his thumb against the edge of the cap, and causing the cap torise and turn over towards the side it is pushed towards. The spring 10that has kept the cap closed, expands sufficiently to permit this, andthe clearance in the slots enables the pins to take this travel. Whenbrought sufliciently out of line with the mouth, the spring pulls downin a direction at right angles to that of the axis of the mouth in orderto retrieve it to its shortest length, the principle of such pullingbeing something similar to that of on and 01f dead center. This allowsfree unobstructed emission of the fiuid from the tube when the latter issqueezed, and keeps the caps from loosely bouncing around. the round topof the cap enables it to set squarely on the neck and be kept on thetube straight, and also prevents it from rolling on a fiat or smoothsurface.

The modified forms provide for an orifice in an angular position butoperate the same, while the spring in Figure 7 is provided with a knee26 instead of the parallel stem-and-circle form 16 indicated in Figure3.

While two forms of the invention are indicated in the drawing, it is notdesired to limit this application for patent to these particular formsor in any other way otherwise than limited by the prior art, as it isappreciated that other forms of 65 construction could be used that wouldemploy the same principles and come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:-

1. A closure of the class described comprising in combination a neckhaving a plurality of pins mounted on the exterior thereof, a capmounted over the neck having depending arms with slots that engage overthe said pins, said cap having an orifice-closing element for closingthe neck mouth, and a tension spring mounted on the pins having itscentral body portion engaged around a portion of the cap to keep thelatter in tension contact with the mouth of the neck.

2. A closure for collapsible tubes and arranged to be mounted on thesame, and of the class described, comprising in combination, a neck bodyhaving a pin running therethrough and extending out of the same, andprovided with a mouth passage and orifice for the egress of the contentsof the tube which the closure is mounted on, a cap mounted on the neckbody having depending arms with elongated slots therein in registry withthe end portions of said pin and held on thereby, said cap having arecess and liner therein for covering the said mouth, and a tensionspring connecting the underside of the cap and pin together for keepingthe cap down on the mouth and yet permitting the cap to be raisedagainst such tension and opened quickly when pushed after raising andbrought to a position out of line with the mouth of the neck.

3. A closure unit for attachment to the neck of a collapsible unit,comprising in combination, an orificed neck body having means forattaching it to the neck of a collapsible tube, a pin passing throughthe wall of the said body and having its end portions projectingtherethrough, a flattened top cap having means for closing the orificein the said body, arms pending from the said top and having slotsadapted to receive the pin end portions and elongated to permit travelthereon and to also permit the said top to be given an arouate travelover the orifice and means for resiliently biasing or urging the cap toeither, open or closed position depending on the position of the caprelative to the orifice.

4. A closure unit for attachment to the neck of a collapsible tube body,comprising in combination, a neck body having means for attachment tothe neck of a collapsible tube and provided with openings for an orificeand for registering and leading with the mouth of the neck, a top caparranged with means for closing the orifice in the said body and adaptedto slide over the top of the body when operated in opening and closing,arms pending from the top and having slots therein, a pin passingthrough the said body having its 25 end portions extending therethroughand through the arms at the slots thereof, a spring mounted on the pinend portions and against the wall of the body and under the walls ofsaid arms and engaging with the said top and pulling same down towardsthe pins.

DEMETRIUS P. LOOMIS.

